Badhan ( so, Badhan; ar, برن), also known as Baran is a city in the

Sanaag Sanag ( so, Sanaag, ar, سَنَاج) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions o ...

region of Somaliland.

Overview

It was always in danger of flooding during the raining seasons. In 1971, the town was re-located near a borewell called Badhan and it has assumed the name ever since. The area was first settled in the 14th century by Somali herdsmen from the

Warsangali The Warsangali ( so, Warsangeli, ar, قبيلة ورسنجلي) is a major Somali sub clan, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to one of the largest Somali clan-families - the Darod. In the Somali language, the name Warsangali means ...

subclan of the

Darod The Darod ( so, Daarood, ar, دارود) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan was Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as ''Darood''. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries ...

clan, as there was water available for their flocks. Badhan is also famous for being the stage of battles between the

Dervishes Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from fa, درویش, ''Darvīsh'') in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage i ...

Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Sayid Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan ( so, Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan; 1856–1920) was a Somali religious and military leader of the Dervish movement, which led a two-decade long confrontation with various colonial empires including the British, ...

and the Sultanate of Warsangeli. Hassan, the leader of Dervishes, ordered the construction of a new grand fort in the city. Nowadays, the fort is in need of restoration, as time has worn it down.

Politics

Badhan served as the capital of

Maakhir Maakhir ( so, Goboleedka Maakhir, ar, ماخر ), officially the Maakhir State of Somalia ( so, Maamul Goboleedka Maakhir; ar, ولاية ماخر الصومال ) was a short-lived quasi-state in the Sanaag region of eastern Somaliland ...

state, which was later incorporated into

Puntland Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...

in January 2009. The entity was initially established by the

community in opposition to

and Somaliland's contention over their inhabited territory. In September 2019, local election was held in Baran on the initiative of the Puntland Ministry of Interior, and Ahmed Mohamed Timir was elected mayor. In January 2021,

deployed troops to Badhan to prevent Somaliland's attempts to conduct voter registration in the city. Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril, the Speaker of Puntland's House of Representatives (Parliament) arrived in the city to oversee the operation. Somaliland's influence in the city was reduced when almost all local militia previously loyal to Somaliland defected to

, and strengthened Puntland's hold on the city. Mahmood reports: In January 2018,

Gamal Mohamed Hassan Gamal Mohamed Hassan ( so, Gamaal Maxamed Xasan, ar, جمال محمد حسن; born June 1978) Also, Jamal is the son of the well known late Chief Al-Haji Mohamed Hassan Muse and he was the founder, mayor to his last day and the first settler o ...

, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation visited badhan, as well the town of

Dhahar Dhahar is a town in the eastern Sanaag region, and the capital of the Dhahar District. Puntland is in effective control, but Somaliland also has territorial claims. Overview The town is disputed between Somaliland and Puntland, who has signific ...

in the

Sanaag Sanag ( so, Sanaag, ar, سَنَاج) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions o ...

region along with Puntland officials.

Demographics

The town is exclusively settled by the

clan of the wider

Harti Harti ( so, Harti, ar, هرتي), meaning "strong man", is a Somali clan family that is part of the Darod clan. The major sub-clans include the Majeerteen, Dhulbahante, Warsangali, Tinle, Maganlabe and Dishiishe, while other minor sub-clans ...

clan.

Education

The

Somali National University Somali National University (SNU) ( so, Jaamacadda Ummadda Soomaaliyeed, ar, الجامعة الوطنية الصومالية, it, Università Nazionale Somala) is a national university in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Its campus grounds w ...

has a branch in Badhan. In January 2021, the university's central committee commended the Puntland branch of the National University in Badhan district, which is the last branch to be included in the university, for its good performance, both for its students and for its colleagues. The construction of the university was funded at the cost 6 Million USD by the

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), commonly known as the Kuwait Fund, is the State of Kuwait’s agency for the provision and administration of financial and technical assistance to developing countries. History and profile F ...

in agreement with the Federal Government of Somalia and implemented by the Puntland authorities.

Media

The

Somali National Television Somali National Television (SNTV) ( so, Telefishinka Qaranka Soomaaliyeed) is the national television station of Somalia. History The first regular TV services began in Somalia on 17 August 1983, with funds obtained from Kuwait and the United Ara ...

and

Radio Mogadishu Radio Mogadishu ( so, Radio Muqdisho, ar, راديو مقديشو) is the federal government-run radio station of Somalia.

report from Badhan and provide regular news coverage.

Notable residents

References

{{Reflist Populated places in Sanaag Cities in Somaliland